


Transition

by equalliving



Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 19:54:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6128325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/equalliving/pseuds/equalliving
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story begins around the beginning of season 3 and then follows all the ups and downs between Jude and Zero in the following chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Walls down

**Author's Note:**

> The three first chapters are already put on fanfiction.net, but I will in the future put them there and here as well, as a part of one collected work. Please note that I do not own any of the characters and this is just a fanfic. I have tried to incorporate some of the lines from the episodes and some from what is seen in the previews. Hope you enjoy! :)

It wasn’t that Zero hadn’t tried forgetting about Jude. Sure the first days and weeks after his demand of a date Zero had seriously considered giving in and just calling him, but he knew he couldn’t. He told himself that in his line of business there was no going public as a homosexual or even bisexual, but the truth is that calling Jude would mean something else. Calling Jude would mean that this thing between them had become deep and if there was one thing Zero didn’t do it was deep. Things always got too complicated and the risk of opening up to someone who should care only to find out that they don’t was not something Zero needed to try again. So he didn’t call but instead threw himself at other distractions such as exercise, training and random hook-ups.  
Nothing helped though and slowly Zero realized that getting over Jude was impossible so when the season start came around Zero tried making Jude his agent again. Sure he already had a new agent, it had taken less than a week to get this new Lucas guy, but the guy wasn’t Jude, and the risk of Jude moving away for another job was high. Of course, Jude hadn’t jumped at the opportunity. He was no fool and probably knew why Zero had wanted him back. Zero had, however, never expected Jude to say no. When Jude explained how Lionel had offered him another job at the Devils he had relaxed a bit more since that meant that Jude would still be connected to the Devils and therefore still be near. However, the new Lucas guy proved to be more difficult than Zero had foreseen. Lucas and Jude had quickly started talking and when he saw the two of them sitting in the bar Zero had walked straight up to Lucas to start any discussion with him so that he would leave. It worked of course but had he heard correct? Had he heard Lucas talking something about a date?  
Of course, Jude caught him in the act and even though Zero kept his walls up and joked a bit, his walls were down for those few seconds where he touched Jude’s hand before Jude moved back. It felt like Jude moved his hand far too soon, but since they were in a public place, it was probably for the best anyway, even though that had been the last thought in Zero’s mind. Zero had yearned to touch Jude again, been going over all of their nights, touches and kisses over and over again in his head the last couple of months, so much that it ended with Zero thinking of Jude every single day. Jude was dangerously handsome, smart, sweet and kind and surely Lucas had already noticed all of this. Since Jude had no interest in hiding that he was gay, it was only a matter of time before Lucas was going to try something with Jude. The next day Zero overheard Lucas telling Derek that he had a lunch appointment, and Zero instantly had a bad feeling about this. So of course, he texted and called Lucas right in the middle of lunch, waiting to contact Lucas just long enough so that he would have to leave, but still not too late so that Jude had found too much interest in him or vice versa. The lunch date meant that Zero knew he had to step up his game, and he, therefore, tried asking Jude on a date even though he may have covered it up with another reason such as to piss off Terrence. All he got was a no, and worse than that when he tried to get information out of Jude regarding a possible date with Lucas Jude didn’t even care to respond, but instead he just left. Zero tried shaking it off with a laugh the same way he had done previously at the photo shoot but he wasn’t entirely successful. Sure the buy up that Jelena and Terrence were planning proved to be a much-needed distraction for Zero, but Jude never left his mind, and Zero knew he had to do something more to show Jude that he cared for him.

That was what he had tried to do at the engagement party. It wasn’t as hard telling Jude that he was always on Zero’s mind because it was the truth. Zero had expected it to be harder or even impossible for him to do anything like that but he proved himself wrong. This was Jude, and he needed and missed him more than he was even ready to admit to himself let alone to Jude.  
Hooking up in the closet was an absolute relief, and maybe that is why it had been so easy telling Jude that he had missed him because now the past few months could be forgotten, and he could be with Jude again. Of course, it all went south two seconds after and when Jude told Zero to leave him alone it hit him harder than he thought possible. Zero knew he couldn’t do that, but he pulled himself together and managed to distract himself a bit more by teasing Jelena and Terrence before he left the party.

Jude’s POV

I had a hard time focusing on the 8 o’clock meeting I was stuck in where some guy was talking about making a stronger profile of the Kinkade name. I was sleep deprived and the awful coffee at this meeting had done nothing to wake me up so far.  
After the night with Zero, I knew I had to make some changes. I couldn’t keep doing this to myself. After the meeting I went to my office to check some e-mails, but the day seemed to go particularly slow and since I had a hard time concentrating I decided to take some air.  
“Hey Jude” I recognized Lucas voice immediately  
“Man, you look tired.”  
“Just couldn’t sleep” I answered and faked a smile  
“Nothing serious I hope.”  
I considered what to answer to that. There were several reasons why I couldn't tell him the true reason behind my lack of sleep. Somehow I didn't see this conversation going very well if I told Lucas that I had hooked up with the previous guy last night; my first and only guy, I told him about, only to discover that nothing had changed. Zero's feelings and the things he wanted was exactly the same. So instead of telling the truth I just ended with a plain “nope.”  
“Well okay then, see you around” Lucas said smiling before walking away.  
That’s when it hit me I could move on I had the perfect opportunity to do so with Lucas. He was a handsome guy who had no problem with who he was, he didn’t put an unbreakable wall up, and he was honest. Sure it did hurt when he told me that I ruined our lunch date, but it was the truth. It was then I decided I would move on. I would forget about Zero and focus on the great guy that Lucas was.  
“Hey Lucas” I yelled a little after him and ran up to him while he turned towards me with half his attention on his phone  
“What’s up?” He asked with a smile and looked at the phone again  
Here goes nothing...  
“I feel horrible about last time, and I was wondering if you would give me a second chance?”  
Lucas looked up.  
“Jude, I don’t know... You are a great guy and all, but I don’t want to get in the middle of something and you clearly still have feelings for that other guy.”  
“I did, yes... But not anymore that is completely over and has been for a while”. Again I saw no need to tell Lucas about last night, which had only proved that nothing had changed so, in that case, it had been over for over four months now.  
“All I want is to take you out on another date and maybe prove to you that the old guy is out of the picture...”  
Lucas had a small smile on his face and before I could think any further Lucas kissed me. It was a quick kiss, and it was over before I had even started to comprehend what was happening.  
“It’s a date!” He said as soon as his lips had left mine  
I opened my eyes and smiled.  
“Sounds great”  
Out of my eye, I saw someone approaching and I quickly realized it was Zero.  
“Lucas” Zero yelled at him. Without thinking, I looked up and looked directly at Zero. Panic started to rise, and I knew I had to get away from there.  
“See you later” I quickly said and smiled before turning to walk away. 

Zero’s POV

Seeing Lucas kissing Jude completely stopped me in my tracks. My hands involuntary fisted and anger rose within me. It was not so much the fact that Lucas had kissed Jude that bothered me, but rather that Jude hadn't seemed to mind it at all. Luckily the kiss was quick, and as soon as Lucas had stopped kissing Jude I began to walk again heading in their direction perhaps a bit faster than before.  
“Lucas” I called when I was close enough so that he could hear me without me doing too much of an effort to call him. Jude looked up and for just a split of a second looked straight into my eyes.  
“See you later” I heard Jude say to him just before he turned around and left in the opposite directions. A knot was forming in my belly. I had a feeling that Jude would be trying to avoid me for the entire day, but now it also sounded like the steal-kissing Lucas now had a date with Jude as well.  
Lucas turned around facing me and looked far too smug.  
“Have you received the papers for my sponsor deals?” I asked while trying to contain my temper.  
“Yeah I just got them this morning. If you want, I can bring them to you”  
“Nah, just send them to me so I can sign them” The thought of spending too much time with him was more than my patience could bear and I felt like I was about to explode.  
“Perfect will do!” Lucas answered with a huge smile on his face. Oh, how I hate this guy was my final thought before I turned and walked away before I risked saying or doing anything reckless. I was heading straight to the gym to let off some steam.

Jude’s POV

I had my eyes closed and the back of my head resting on my closed office door. Seeing Zero again while asking Lucas out had been harder than I thought it would be. What made it all worse is that I was afraid Zero had seen Lucas kissing me. I was almost positive he had seen it. I was trying to forget about Zero and only focus on Lucas, but he kept interfering at all the worst possible times. Maybe starting something with his agent was a bad idea. I took a deep breath trying to calm myself.  
I needed to get some work done but my heart was pondering and my hands sweaty. I barely had any sleep last night since I kept thinking about how great it had been with Zero how much I had missed him and how great it was to hear that he had missed me too and to see his wall not only fall once but twice. Although to be honest, the thing that was mostly keeping me up was the shattering proof that nothing had changed. Zero still wouldn’t be in a relationship with me, still wouldn’t go public and probably still wouldn’t want anything deep. That’s when I decided to start forgetting about Zero and move on. When I saw Lucas today at the stadium, it seemed like perfect timing, and Lucas was even easier to convince for a second date then I thought possible and for just a tiny split of a second I had felt good, relieved even. Sure Lucas had shocked me with the kiss, but I was putting Zero behind and moving on with a new great guy. Lucas wasn’t going to hide me away or flirt with other people in front of me. It had all felt good until I had caught Zero’s figure out of my eye moving towards us. I knew I couldn’t stay and watch how Zero talked to Lucas one more time, especially not after the kiss, so instead I just left. I went straight to my office, and now I really needed to get some work done. Today was a long day, and the team was playing tonight at an event Lionel had arranged to profile the Devils even more now that the ties to Oscar were finally cut.

The Devils won the game, but it was no thanks to Zero who was sloppy and even lost the ball a couple of times and had some misses. He needed to step up his game if he wanted to keep working towards being captain. I began to wonder if it was his loss of the captain title that had him so out of it or whether it was because of me. I quickly shook my head and decided to think of something else. Nothing good was coming out of that train of thought.  
"Where did you go?” Lionel asked  
“What do you mean?”  
“Well you obviously haven’t had much sleep, but it seems that you have been distant and in your own head the entire day. What’s going on?”  
“Damn she was smart” I tried forcing a small smile.  
“Oscar contacted me” I said trying to steer away from any other topic.  
“What does he want?”  
“To meet me I guess. Probably since he can't get to you, he is trying to get to me”  
“Oh, Jude don’t go. Stay away from that sperm donor and move on. He is absolutely not worth a second of your thoughts”  
“I know...” I said while looking down. There was no reason to tell Lionel that I had already visited him. I just needed her to stop ask any more questions.  
“Well I thought it was about something else entirely” She said teasing while puffing my shoulder.  
I looked up at her  
“What do you mean?”  
“Well someone had a wild night in the coat room last night, and I was wondering who that could have been” She smiled and gave a small wink  
I felt like I was about to blush and I wanted nothing more to disappear at this moment.  
“Nope nothing to do with me” I said in the most nonchalant tone I could manage, but I am not sure she bought it.  
After the event, I went to pick up a few things at the office and answer some final e-mails before I decided to go home.  
Zero was standing looking at his poster near my car at the parking lot when I got out. I took a deep breath trying to brace myself for what was coming  
“You really didn’t have to go through al this to say thanks, but I am glad you did” His mask was up again, and I did not have the energy for this.  
“That’s all Lionel. It’s a part of her new media strategy” I answered dryly, without a response from him I continued  
“You are a valuable member of the team” I could almost feel the frustrations soothing off him, but I didn’t care. I needed to move on and to do so, I needed to treat him like all the other players. So I said goodnight and walked over to my car

Zero’s POV

I had been one hundred percent sure that this was Jude’s doing and to learn that Lionel was the only reason that poster was up hurt more than I thought it would have, but when Jude called me a valuable member of the team I lost it.  
“A valuable member of the team!?”  
“You are talking to me like I am a stranger!” I perfectly remembered all the pitches and speeches from different sponsors, agents and what not telling me how I could be a valuable member of their team or company. After everything we had been through and after all that I had done for him, the least he could do was not to treat me like some stranger or another player.  
“You either refuse to get it, or you never will” Jude answered dryly, but slightly irritated.  
Oh, I got it. Jude wants to go on dates and be together in public to do all kinds of relationships stuff together, but I had never done any of that.  
I noticed how Jude’s things were already in the car and that he was about to open the car door so he could drive away.  
The thought of having Jude leave again like that was unbearable, and panic rose, and before I knew of it I blurted out  
“I love you!”  
Jude stopped and turned around and looked me straight in my eyes  
“Alright.” I tried to calm myself, and I noticed that Jude had removed his hand from the car door, and I suddenly realized what I had done. Blurted out that I loved him was not a part of my plan but to be honest, I am not sure I have any more ideas or tricks to pull anymore.  
“I…” The irony wasn’t lost on me. I still remembered when I told Jude that I didn’t do relationships since things just got complicated. It was never my plan to end up falling in love with Jude. It was never my intention standing some months later confessing my love for the guy outside of the Devils arena. Jude had done a pretty good job of pushing me away the last couple of days, but I couldn’t back down now.  
“I love you, stupid” I repeated in a calmer tone  
Jude just looked at me with an expression I had only seen twice before. So far it all had a good outcome. Jude had done it before he had kissed me back when we were in Jude's apartment, and he did the same before kissing me in the wardrobe. I just hoped that it was going to be the same positive outcome now.

Jude’s POV

I couldn’t believe my ears, and if it hadn’t been because Zero had shouted I love you, I would have been convinced that I hadn’t heard right.  
I was utterly speechless, and it was clear that Zero had lost the mask maybe even unintentionally, but he still chose to repeat it. I couldn’t help but smile, to stand in front of the guy I had fallen in love with a long time ago, the same guy who had discarded any form of a relationship or anything deeper than sex had now put his walls down.  
“I love you too” It felt good to finally say those words to him, but I knew that it was not enough I need more than just love, I need to not be in hiding, or have my boyfriend flirt with other people while I am there. I knew that coming out as a public sports figure was no walk in the park, and I couldn’t force Zero to do that. After all, it had taken me a while as well to get to that point but I needed to have someone I can trust completely. I need Zero to be there for me in any way and to be able to support and be honest with each other.  
“can you?”  
“can you do that?” I asked silently hoping for Zero to say yes.

Zero’s POV

Shit! I have no idea what to do… No, I can't just take Jude’s hand and walk with him or make a press conference to announce that I am bisexual. But maybe that wasn’t really what Jude was asking right now… I can be there for Jude. I have been there for him. I supported him several times regarding Oscar, I had been honest with Jude and confided in him with my upbringing so I would be able to be supportive, I could be honest but this needed to go both ways. Jude needed to trust me as well, no more secret meetings with other people trying to get out of trouble. We both needed, to be honest with each other.  
“Jelena and Terrence have made an offer for buying the Devils” This was a secret I hadn’t told Jude, even though I probably should have.  
“What?!”  
“I told them they would have my silence if they kick Derek of the team if they are successful in buying the Devils” I continued since Jude was just staring at me without saying a word, but I could see he was fuming.  
“I should have told you, but I want to try so I am telling you now” I swallowed too nervous to what Jude was going to say or whether he would be too angry with me for not telling him sooner.  
“Thank you for telling me” Jude said silently  
I looked up and made a small smile  
We stood silently in the dark night looking into each other eyes.  
“Come on” Jude said while he was getting in the car. I stood unable to move.  
“Unless you don’t want to go back to my place?” Jude continued  
I smiled and quickly jumped in the car.


	2. Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for this chapter I have jumped a bit in time. Since there are so many stories beginning right after the kiss I decided instead to start the story after Zero tells Jude that everything in his life has been planned but that kissing Jude was not. I do not own any of the characters, and this is just a fanfic. Enjoy:)

Jude’s POV

He looked straight at me with an expression I had a hard time reading and he soon after turned his attention to the TV again and ran his hands through his hair.  
I loosened my tie and sat on the couch next to him. I knew I had to ask, but I had been so afraid of the answer that I had just postponed it, but there was no hiding it any longer everything was now out in the open anyway.  
”Do you regret it?” Even though I had wanted to try to make my voice strong and filled with confidence the question barely came out as a whisper.  
He quickly looked and turned to me  
”No.”  
His powerful answer rang in the air, and there was no hesitation in it. I smiled a little.  
”I just wished…” Zero looked at the TV again before taking a deep breath and turning his attention to me again. My heart was starting to pound in my chest. Had I read it wrong did he have some regret? Maybe now when he had some time to think about it?  
”That I had thought this through that I had some kind of plan now. I have nothing Jude. I have no idea what to do I keep getting interview requests I keep getting calls from the agency and I just don’t… I don’t know what to do. I have been Zero for so long and through all of my career and I am not sure I am ready for all of me coming out.”  
My heart sank. I had never seen him like this before and even though I knew he would never say it, it needed to be said  
”I know you are scared” I took his hand, and he kept his eyes on our intertwined fingers. I saw him make a small smile, but it was quickly gone.  
”But we can get through this” My voice was determined now, there was no way I was going to lose him now, not after all of this.  
”There is no reason for you to do all these interviews. Find one or two you like and then do those” My brain was going in agent mode  
”Make sure you get Lucas to get you the questions beforehand, so you don’t get any surprises while you are there” His jaw clenched when I mentioned Lucas, but I ignored it.  
”Maybe do magazine interviews, so you don’t have to be on television and get them to send you the article for approval before printing, that way you are in complete control of what is coming out”  
”Do you think all that will be possible?” he asked quietly still looking at our hands  
”Absolutely. You are the one they are all interested in they will all go a long way to be the one to get an interview with you”  
”You should talk to your agency about all of this when you have figured out what you want to do”  
Zero looked up at me  
”What you said sounded good” a shy smile on his lips  
”Then that is what we will do”  
“We are in this together… Remember that” I said and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.  
”I saw this LGBT magazine in one of you drawers” the line stopped me in my thoughts; I knew I should have gotten rid of those magazines.  
Zero saw my expression and one of his devilish smiles flashed his teeth.  
”Not those, even though some of them was quite interesting”  
I felt my cheek blush, which only resulted in an even bigger smile on his lips  
”I was talking about one of the other magazines I think it was called OUT or something”  
I hadn’t realized I had been holding my breath until I felt myself breathe a sign of relief. That magazine was far more proper and classy than the ones I thought he meant, but still with red cheeks I just nodded  
”It sounds like a good idea,” I said  
I started to get up from the couch. I needed to get a little space away from him so my embarrassment and flushed red cheeks could calm down.  
”But since you mentioned it” Zero stood up and pulled at my hand, so I circled right back to him our noses less than an inch from each other  
”I did get some pretty good ideas from the other magazines as well” His devilish smile had never left his lips, and I knew that I was in for it. There was no escaping now.  
He softly placed his lips on mine while still looking at me. I was barely breathing, and I was pretty sure that my legs wouldn’t be able to hold me up that much longer. What was it about him? Just the way he could look at me made me forget my name.

Zero’s POV

Jude stood completely still and seemed almost afraid to make a move; I couldn’t help myself from teasing him, moving slowly in to kiss him while still looking him in his eyes. I saw his eyes go darker, and the look shot straight down to my crotch. I pulled back just a little and looked at him before leading him to the bedroom. As soon as we got in the bedroom Jude started ripping his own clothes off and trying to get my clothes off, but I pushed his hands back and pushed him against the wall. I looked at him his eyes still dark with lust and without thinking he bit his lower lip I kissed him again while holding his arms away. I kept the kiss slow, I didn’t want to rush this, I didn’t want to let Jude go anytime soon. Jude must have felt it too because he deepened the kiss and soon I felt like my legs were about to give under me. I let go of his hands and let my hands explore his torso and chest until I held on to him as strongly as I could on his shoulders. Too afraid to fall. Jude’s arms locked me close to him as he kept his left hand on my lower back and the right between my shoulder blades. When the kiss finally broke, we were both panting. I turned him around and pushed him on the bed, so he was lying on his back. I quickly got rid of all my clothes and saw Jude lick his lips at the sight of my hard cock. He quickly sat up and put me in his mouth and started moving. My head shot back, and a loud moan left my lips as soon as I had his mouth around me. He sucked hard while keeping a cruel slow pace, which was starting to build up my orgasm. I knew I didn’t have that long before I came in his mouth, so I forcefully pushed him away panting and saw his lips glittering with my cum before he licked it off his lips while looking at me. This guy was making me mad. I quickly got him out of his clothes and went down on him to get my own little revenge on him. I took him in my mouth, and he shot his back up and started moaning, I knew none of us would be able to keep it that long, so I began to lick him hard and fast while I put two fingers in him moving them at the same pace as my mouth. Jude moaned loudly and grabbed the sheets like his life was depending on it. I looked up at him to enjoy the sight, and when he bite down his lips again, it almost made me come. I quickly held my own cock in order not to come, while I continued licking him I pushed a third finger in him. Jude moans became louder, and he was starting to writhe under me desperate for release. I closed my eyes and ravished in his taste one more time before I pulled my fingers out and let his cock spring free from my mouth. 

Jude’s POV

Zero left a trail of kisses up my body before meeting his lips with mine. I could taste myself on his lips, and I kissed him desperately like it was the only air I could breathe. I heard the folio package open and felt him move my body and leg so he could position himself.  
He started teasing me only letting the tip go in before he quickly pulled out again, and his playing worked as a torturous pleasure, which had me panting loudly. I was so desperate to feel him in me and so scared of what I might say that I just bite down my fisted hand trying to control myself. But he kept his slowly torture up until I finally I couldn’t take it anymore and begged him to take me.  
Zero made one big hard thrust in me and immediately filled me hitting the sweet spot, my body responded and I arched my back and cried out loudly. He pulled out of me again only to repeat the same movement again, and again, and again. I was close, and I was fighting every urge I had to scream or to say the words that had been on the tip of my tongue since he had kissed me in the arena.  
He shifted his body slightly, and I could feel my body starting to shake I couldn’t hold back, my body felt like it was on fire only enhanced by all the kisses, licks and sucking Zero did on my upper body and now at my neck.  
“Let go Jude” He whispered silently right before biting on my earlobe. I stopped biting my hand and looked at him. He looked me straight in my eyes while he continued his thrusting  
“Let go,” he said and grabbed his left hand around my cock  
“I want to hear you and who cares if someone else hears you too” he trailed kisses from my neck to my collarbone  
“We are out now, so let go” His thrusts became more intense and deeper, and he matched the movement with his hands on my cock. I pulled him up on top of me so I could kiss his chest and up his neck. I couldn’t hold it back I knew I was going to come, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold back when I did, so I decided to let go as he said. I hold him tight to me my forehead on his left shoulder while he was holding himself up on his right arm.  
My panting and moaning quickened as Zero speed up his thrusts and kept his hand sliding up and down on my cock in the same pace. It was getting hard for me to catch my breath.  
“I… can’t… hold…it…” I heard Zero say between his breaths and at that I started to move against him meeting his every thrust.  
“Jude!” He shouted barely any breath himself, and I felt my climax hitting shaking through my body violently.  
“I love you Gideon” I cried while riding out my orgasm coming all over both of our chests. Zero’s right arm gave in, and he was now only holding himself up on the elbow. I felt him shaking and after two more thrusts, he came panting and biting on my shoulder while trying to ride it off. I held him close all the time and kissed him at all the places I could reach. After a while, he pulled out and tossed the condom on the floor and laid on his back next to me. We were both still panting covered in sweat and my cum.  
He was the first one to break the silence  
“You know you haven’t called me anything since the season started before now.”  
“What do you mean?” I asked and looked at him  
“Well after I told you my name you haven’t called me Zero or Gideon” He looked at me  
I turned on my side so I could get a better look at him and I started trailing my fingers up and down his body almost as if I was trying to mesmerize his body.  
“It just felt wrong,” I said and looked at him, still letting my fingers explore  
“It felt wrong calling you Gideon since we weren’t together and you never took me up on the offer but calling you Zero just felt wrong as well because I had seen the different side of you, the real side of you” I smiled and looked at him.

Zero’s POV

I looked at him and enjoyed feeling the light traces his fingers were making on my body.  
“I want you to call me Gideon,” I said firmly, Jude’s fingers stopped  
“At the arena as well?”  
“Yes. I don’t mind people knowing my name if that means you can call me Gideon no matter where we are”  
“I can just have one of these performers names so I can still be known as Zero on the court and have it on my shirt, but I don’t mind them knowing my real name”  
Jude’s smile grew  
“I think we just found out one of your questions for the interview”  
I still had a smile plastered on my face when Jude went in to kiss me before laying his head on my shoulder.  
“Call Lucas tomorrow and tell him about your plan and how you want it done,” Jude said sleep clearly getting the best of him.  
My body quickly tensed, but Jude didn’t notice probably already sleeping. I did not want to call Lucas I didn’t even want to be near him. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could do this. I had been hiding the entire day in Jude’s apartment going crazy, but I could do this. I looked down at Jude and smiled. I could do this. If I did as Jude said I could even have this benefit me and I would be able to control it and if I was smart enough I could use Lucas for my own benefit as well. After all, I was a little excited to see him again, after he found out about Jude and me, so I can rub it in his face that this hot and great looking guy. The same guy he had been gushing over for a year was now taken and completely dateable. All of Lucas’ messages and e-mails had been strictly professional, and if I didn’t know any better, I would say Lucas seemed almost scared of the possible consequence that could be coming considering what he had told me last time we saw each other. I pulled Jude close to me and started planning other things and questions they might ask me before I fell in deep sleep.

Jude’s POV

I woke up sore in every muscle from last night, but I was blissfully at peace and happy. Last night had been perfect and to know that Gideon no longer wanted me to call him Zero was another proof of how far we had come.  
I stretched out my hand to touch him, but I couldn’t feel him, and when I opened my eyes, I saw the bed was empty.  
I heard someone talking in the living room and from the voices it sounded like Gideon was talking to… Lionel? I quickly got up and put some pants on before I went into the living room. Gideon was standing in my pants and t-shirt with a towel around his neck while Lionel was standing in the doorway dressed to kill.  
“What is going on?” I asked my voice thick with sleep.  
A smile shot across Gideon’s face as he came up to me and put a light kiss on my mouth  
“Good morning handsome,” he said and slapped my left butt cheek before going to the kitchen  
“Jude I am all for you two having a little teasing and butt slapping but we got serious problems.” Lionel said with a firm tone  
“What is going on?”  
“They closed the arena” Gideon answered and handed me a mug of coffee and put his arm around my waist while looking at Lionel. I was about to burst with joy. I knew Gideon had kissed me in public and showed me his affectional side that I knew he had, but as he said last night that was without thinking, but now he seemed so relaxed and well aware of his actions but still chose to act affectionally with me even though we were not alone.  
I met Lionel’s eyes. She had a crooked smile on her lips that made me feel like she had been in my mind and I quickly looked away almost as I was afraid she would see anything more.  
“So what do we do?” I asked trying to get back on topic luckily Lionel followed without any teasing but in all serious tone.  
“We are having a media event on the beach.”  
“Count me out” Gideon said and moved to the couch  
“Fine” Lionel said  
“It will just be the dancers and some supporters, but I think it would be better if you were not there since you already have so much media attention and we need to divert some of it back to the devil girls and the organization.”  
“Perfect!” Gideon said pleased  
“Let me just take a shower and I will be right there”  
“You have 30 minutes Jude, and I mean it” Lionel said with a stern voice while pointing a finger at me. Gideon started chuckling on the couch.  
“You too Zero, there is no time for fooling around now”  
“Don’t worry I will be there in 15 just wait here” I said and quickly went to the bathroom  
“It is Gideon, actually” I heard Gideon say to Lionel just before I closed the door.

Zero’s POV

“What?”  
“My real name is Gideon” I repeated, but Lionel just kept looking at me  
“Zero was something my foster family called me, and I just kept it”  
“Because it is easier to hide behind a different persona or mask” Lionel finished my sentence and stopped me in my tracks.  
“I was an actress, remember,” She said and made a small wink  
“I know what it is like to hide away and to let yourself be someone else, sometimes being someone else is less painful than being who you really are” I smiled, Lionel had always stricken me as a smart woman, but who knew we would have anything in common.  
“But sometimes it can be difficult to differentiate between the different masks that we put up” She said and a small strained smile appeared on her lips.  
“You are right, but with all of this going on now I think it is best to give some small pieces of me so all this media frenzy can settle down soon”  
Lionel made a small laugh.  
“Zero. Gideon. This media is not going to settle anytime soon” She said while sitting next to me on the couch  
“You have two rings and perhaps 7 or 8 more years left to play in and if you keep this up who knows how many rings you can get”  
“You are young, handsome and you publically after the opening game kissed your former agent who is just as handsome” I smiled and licked my lips thinking of that kiss with Jude ignoring Lionel’s presence.  
“Look,” Lionel said a little louder pulling me out of my thoughts  
“The media loves a good story, love when something is dramatic, love good-looking people and they love shocking news and you two check off all of these things”  
“So what do you suggest?”  
“Get on top of it. These things can get out of control before you know it. Take control and spin it so that all of this favors you” Lionel said dead serious  
“Start going out again and keep to your usual schedule start exercising and start playing with the team again”  
“Well that will be difficult today” I said and smirked feeling the cockiness of Zero emerging  
“You know what I mean”  
“This is no joke. I can easily see Jelena and Terrence try to get this to turn against us now that the arena is closed”  
I smiled when Lionel said us even though I don’t think she noticed.  
“We need to make it look like the arena being closed were our decision and that is why we are having this event by the beach to divert the attention, and meanwhile we are giving the players a day of after their win”  
I couldn’t help smiling, Lionel had without a doubt a good grasp of the media and she definitely knew how to use them to her advantage.  
Jude came out from the bathroom then only with a towel wrapped around his waist so low that it wouldn’t have taken much movement to fall on the ground. I looked him up and down and shifted in my seat when Lionel got up and clapped her hands.  
“Let’s get going! Get some clothes on so we can get this sorted out”  
Jude looked at me with a crooked smile and then I knew he had done this on purpose, making me wanting him once again except this time Lionel was here and even though she approved of a bit of butt slapping somehow slamming Jude against the wall may be a bit too much.  
“Will do” Jude said and quickly walked into the bedroom  
I got up and headed straight for the bedroom as well while Lionel was looking at her phone  
“I mean it! No fooling around now I will walk in on you, and you won't be doing something I haven’t already seen before” Lionel said a little louder to me, and I send her a teasing smile.

Jude’s POV

I couldn’t help but laugh at Lionel’s comment and when Zero a second later walked into the bedroom I had a huge smile on my lips. In a matter of seconds he was forcing his lips on mine while pulling my hips towards him. I felt his beard scratch my skin, and I knew I would be red all over in a matter of second, but I didn’t care. I pulled him closer to me with one hand on his back the other on his neck. My towel quickly fell to the ground, and I felt Gideon’s hand on me immediately after. A small moan escaped my lips and soon after I heard Lionel’s voice  
“You two are being way to quiet unless you want me to walk in the bedroom as well I better hear some voices instead of moans!”  
I broke the kiss with Gideon at that and rested my forehead against his.  
“She just doesn’t give up, huh?” He said with a gasping breath  
“Nope,” I said and placed a chaste kiss on his lips before turning towards the dresser to find some clothes.  
Gideon tossed himself on the bed looking at me.  
“So what are you going to do today?” I asked needing to deviate my thoughts away from his body and very hard cock.  
“I think I am going to go for a run and maybe do some training here since the arena is closed”  
“That sounds like a great idea,” I said while buttoning my shirt.  
“It was actually Lionel’s suggestion,” He said and shrugged  
“Well, I will be back sometime later tonight, and then we can talk all about it, but we might also need a plan to get in control of Jelena and Terrence” I said and closed my pants.  
“Can’t wait” he said and placed his hands behind his head.  
“Yes, I thought you would like to plan something against them as well” I said and moved down to place a quick kiss on his lips  
“Oh and remember to call Lucas today as well” I said while walking in to the living room where Lionel was now waiting impatiently tapping her foot.  
“Will do” He said like he was bored with the conversation while following me  
“Ok let's go” I told Lionel and opened the door for her.  
“See you later” Gideon said and placed a kiss on my lips and kept standing in the door while Lionel and I got out.  
“Love you” he yelled a little after me, and I turned around with a big goofy smile on my face.  
“Love you too” I said and was rewarded with his soul-crushing winning smile before the door closed.

Zero’s POV

It always felt a little strange being alone in Jude’s apartment. Not in a bad way but just different. His place was practically the exact opposite of my own place and even though Zero fit perfectly within my own place, Gideon felt way more comfortable and at ease at Jude’s place.  
Lionel was right separating the two could be difficult for me. I had been Zero so long, sure I had slipped a couple of times and let out Gideon but only with Jude, no one else knew me like he did, and now I needed to figure out how much of the real me I was willing to show.  
I took a pen and a piece of paper and starting writing some of the things down that I was ready to let people know and the things that I by no means was prepared to share, things I hadn’t even shared with Jude yet.  
I loved when Jude called me Gideon, and I didn’t mind people knowing my name, but I wouldn’t go into the past of my biological parents or the scum of foster parents I had. I would be happy to tell of how growing up in such an environment was but it still had to be on a very platonic level. Maybe I should then only give my first name… making it harder for people to find out more about my past.  
I would have to address the prostitute situation as well; one day I was a bad boy who had just recovered from that scandal with prostitutes, the next day I was publically kissing a guy on the court. Yes, I would clarify that he was bisexual.  
After 40 minutes of writing down, I was finally pleased with the outcome, and I decided it was time to call Lucas.  
The phone only rang once before Lucas picked up  
“Zero”  
My jaw clenched, and my hand fisted  
“Lucas” I replied, my voice laced with venom  
There was a dead silence. I wanted him to start the talking, interested to see if he would mention or even hint anything to our last conversation now that we were talking over the phone.  
He cleared his throat, but I wasn’t backing down  
“Well this is a crazy media storm” he started and forced a chuckle.  
I didn’t reply.  
“I assume you have received all the interview offers that we have received?”  
“I have”  
“Well we are still receiving a lot, but I will send them to you as well”  
“I already decided I want a magazine interview with the magazine OUT” I replied  
“Oh… Well… I… I don’t think we have received any offer from them” Lucas said, and I heard him starting to look through papers.  
“I don’t care” I said  
“Contact them and arrange it” I continued  
“I have a list of things I wish to talk about and as soon as I figure out how to use Jude’s scanner I can send it to you” I tossed in the comment about me being at Jude’s place just to mess with him and to see how he would react.  
Silence  
“Is Jude there?” Lucas asked hesitantly  
“No, he is out on an event with Lionel, but that doesn’t matter I am used to being at his place. I practically lived here for a period and I still have the spare key. I just never had a need to use his scanner before”  
I knew I was teasing him, but I wanted him to suffer for what he had said about Jude when I didn’t have a chance to defend him when he wasn’t mine. Now I could let him now how easy being with Jude was and not only how great dating Jude was but how great living with him was.  
Lucas was silent again.  
“So you have been at Jude’s place since the game?”  
“Of course. Why would I even consider going back to my place?”  
“I guess you are right” Lucas said  
“There are too much paparazzi, and it would be difficult for you to leave without them following you everywhere”  
I laughed  
“I don’t care about that Lucas besides I haven’t left Jude’s place either but, of course, that is due to something else entirely” I said. The smile on my face grew and could practically feel Lucas shift uncomfortable  
“I see…”  
“But since Jude has left now I might as well get some practical things done. So if you can just get started on contacting OUT, then that would be great”  
“Sure I will get right on it” Lucas said with a determined voice forcing him back to agent mode  
I almost hUng up, but I couldn’t do so without a final punch  
“Oh and Lucas?”  
“yes?”  
“Catch you later”

Jude’s POV

Lionel and I had been strategizing on the way over here, but now that we had arrived, we went to another mode. That of successful leaders of the organization. The beach was packed with people, but the devil girls were easy to find. The girls were killing it and the media was loving every second of it. There was no way Lionel and I were going to let Jelena and Terrence take over the team. Lionel already had a stronger bond with Derek now, even though I still hadn’t talked to him since he told me to drown.  
Both Terrence and Derek were present at the event as well. None of them was talking to each other, and it was clear that they were only there because of the girls. Terrence supporting Jelena and her dance routine while Derek was drooling over Ahsha. Making Ahsha come back to the devil girls were a strong indication that Derek still had feelings for her and the way he was looking at her now made me think that something had happened on that trip to Vegas. The only reason I would suspect this was because I remembered having that same look on my face when looking at Gideon. Damn, I wanted to go home to him, instead of watching the girls dance.  
“I will be right back” Lionel whispered in my ear before heading towards a crowd of men.  
I looked at my phone. One text from Gideon who was telling me that he had called Lucas and that everything was in motion now. I smiled. I was glad to see the cheerful Gideon back again, the one who once again felt like he was in control. I knew that he didn’t like Lucas even though I am pretty sure that he thought he was discrete about it the clenched jaw, and stiff body told a different story every time Lucas’ name got mentioned. Gideon always knew everything, and I was aware that he probably didn’t like the fact that I had sex with Lucas. Even though I never actually told him I am positive that he already knew this when he kissed me in the arena, but somehow it felt like there was something else or more that was bothering him, but I had decided not to ask, at least not yet. I got pulled out of my train of thoughts when my phone started ringing. The caller id was not someone I had expected to hear from, and I froze in place. My mother.  
Through everything that was going on I had not called her to let her know that her boy had publically been kissed by another guy and was officially very openly gay. My hands started shaking, and I was sweating. What should I say? Should I just brush it off? Should I invite her over? Would Gideon even like to meet my mother? I couldn’t take this conversation here and without thinking of what I was doing, I started heading straight to the parking lot. Or at least, I thought I was, but instead, I ended up standing in the crowd looking at the girls dance. I pushed my way through, but when I finally got out, I immediately realized my mistake as I saw all the reporters. I had walked straight into the lion's den.  
One person recognized me and in a split of a second, they were all surrounding me shooting questions in every direction. Asking me about Zero, about my old job, about my new job, Lionel and, of course, Oscar. My phone rang again it was still my mother trying to get through. I started feeling dizzy and claustrophobic the reporters wouldn’t back away and was moving closer and closer I could barely catch my breath.

Zero’s POV

Being out running again felt great and uplifting I ran by the beach with a pair of Jude’s shorts and his white T-shirt hanging from the waistband, I had been working out hard, and it was too warm to wear. I heard music in the distance and saw all the red and black colors. Must be where Lionel, has her media event I thought while gushing down the last water in my bottle.  
I walked a bit closer but far enough away so that I wouldn’t get recognized. I had no desire to have more reporters in my face, but I had a small hope that maybe I could just see a glimpse of Jude before heading back home since I was already there.  
I noticed Terrence standing in the crowd and farther away Derek was standing as well. I took a deep breath I have to tackle that at some point as well. The team and the guys in the locker-room but that wasn’t going to be today. I scanned the crowd as I got closer and I could see Lionel talking to some old fat guys who all reeked money but Jude was nowhere in sight. I sighed and as the dance was ending I decided it was time to run back home when I heard him  
“If you could just… I need to…”  
His voice sounded desperate, and I quickly scanned the crowd again. Suddenly I saw a massive group of reports that were standing almost huddled up shouting questions and all desperate for taking photos. I moved a bit closer and saw the side of Jude’s face. He looked pale and like he was going to pass out, but that didn’t stop the reporters who just kept moving closer and closer to him.  
I started sprinting; I couldn’t get to him fast enough. I pushed my way through the reporters and next to his side. I looked him straight in his eyes to see if he was okay. His eyes looked panicked and shocked but also with a glimpse of relief as soon as he saw me. The reporters went even crazier, and it felt like it was on the border of hysteria. Shouting questions in every direction, but luckily they had started concentrating on me instead of Jude. One woman got my attention since she practically had her microphone so far up in my face I couldn’t move an inch without hitting it. I was getting angry and without thinking, I took the microphone from her and tossed it to the ground while shouting at her. I turned to Jude and took his hand and dragged him with me towards the parking lot. I was seething. I was angry at him for being so careless that he ended up with those vultures. I was angry with the reporters who out of now where had attacked Jude, and I was angry at myself since I had let this happen. There was no control, and I had been foolish to think otherwise. Until the interview was out, I needed to stay low and so did Jude. We were near the corner to the parking lot, and I noticed that no one was following us any longer, and as soon as we turned the corner I pushed Jude up against the wall and kissed him holding his head in place. Jude hesitantly put his arm around me while I poured all my frustrations, anger and desperate emotion into the kiss.  
Jude’s phone kept on ringing, and I pulled away and rested my forehead against his. None of us said anything but just stood looking at each other.  
“I am sorry” Jude said clearly aware of my mood.  
I shut my eyes.  
“I just wanted to get out from the crowd for a little while, but I wasn’t paying attention, and I got trapped, and before I knew it I was being strong-armed by reporters everywhere”  
I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.  
“Why didn’t you look at where you were going?” I meant to ask it, but it sounded more like an accusation.  
“And why don’t you pick up your phone? It is driving me crazy Jude! It keeps ringing”  
He avoided looking me in the eyes and tried to turn his head away from me, and I knew something was wrong  
“What is it?” I asked keeping his head in place but moved out a bit so I could have a better look at him.  
“Is it reporters? Is it the agency? Is it Oscar?”  
Jude shook his head slightly.  
“Then what is it?”  
He looked me in the eyes with a wild and desperate look  
“It’s my mother.”


	3. A headache sent from hell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the next part of the story. What started out as a one-time thing is now three chapters... Anyway, I guess it would make sense to read the two others if you haven’t already since this chapter takes off right after chapter two:) I don’t own any of the characters, and this is just a fanfic. I know that there is probably new sneak peeks out for the next episode, but I think there was too many last time, which kind of ruined watching the episode (I think) when you know most of the scenes. So I have been avoiding any sites that could give clues about what will happen next and this, therefore, just follows the last one “control” and then I have incorporated some of the things that are seen in the preview for this Monday.  
> I should probably also warn you that this is not as lovey-dovey as the last one. In this part, their insecurities come forward, and they both handle it poorly. On a final note, I usually write in cursive when it is their thoughts, flashbacks or notes, but since this format won't let me do that I have just marked those words or sentences with **. I hope it makes sense when you read it. Enjoy! :)

Zero’s POV

Shit! His mother. I let go of him and walked a few step back. Running my hands through my hair. This was too much. This wasn’t me. I wasn’t someone you took home to meet the family. Sure Oscar would know of me, but his mother? She would probably want to know all these things about me, my upbringing, my career. Did Jude even have a relationship with her? Or was she just as curious as the vultures at the beach? Or was she as cruel as Oscar? That’s when it hit me and looked at him still standing against the wall looking down at his phone, which no longer was ringing.  
”You never talk about your mother” He shrugged still looking down  
”I mean like never.”  
”I don’t think I have heard you mention her even once” He didn’t move  
”Damn it, Jude! Look at me.”  
He lifted his head and looked straight at me with an expression I had a hard time to swallow. I knew him and I knew that look. He wants this. He wants me to meet her. This is another part of the normal life that he is searching for.  
I started shaking my head, with the word *NO* screaming in my head.  
”Jude… I ca…”  
”I found him!”  
I quickly looked to my right where a reporter stood pointing a finger at me before she started running towards me with several reporters following her.  
I felt trapped. It was only a matter of seconds before they would reach me and I would be encircled with questions again. I looked at Jude who was also looking at the reporters coming running towards us and it almost looked like he had given up.  
”Go” was the only thing he said to me, in an almost defeated voice, before he turned away from me and towards the reporter.  
I did. I ran as fast as I could. I ran from the reporters and I ran from the conversation with Jude. I felt sick. I must have looked like it as well because Jerry, my doorman, asked if I was okay as soon as I got in the building. I couldn’t find anything more to say than a sharp  
”Fine” I was shocked by my own voice it sounded so raw and breathless.  
As soon as I got in my apartment everything seemed to stop.

Jude’s POV

It took a lot of smooth talking for the reporters to settle down and it wasn’t like some of the things they asked me didn’t cut me. Questions like: Is he your boyfriend? Are you seeing other people? How long have you been dating? Were just some of the questions that hurt like a punch in my face. The truth was I had no idea. I had been so caught up with everything else that had happened that I hadn't considered defining anything. I had never in my wildest dream imagined that he would have done what he did, so maybe that is why I never bothered to think any further. After what felt like forever in diverting questions like they were bullets sent to kill I finally managed to get the reporters to go back with me to the event and to force them to listen to the purpose of the game and the exciting new things that were happening at the Devils. Honestly, I think they got so bored in the end that they eventually just walked away. When the final reporter left, I sighed in relief. I had 8 missed calls from my mother, but none from Gideon. He must have reached home at this point I thought. But based on the expression on his face right before he ran I knew I wouldn’t hear from him unless I called or texted him. I didn’t have the strength for that right now so instead, I watch the rest of the show the girls had put up and made some small talk with investors and what not until it was time to head home.  
It was pitch black in my apartment and I would be lying if I said that there hadn’t been some small part of me that had wished he would be here. But he wasn’t and he probably wouldn’t come tonight either. I tossed my jacket and tie on a chair and opened the top buttons on my shirt while I went to the kitchen to pour a drink. I sat down on the couch and took my phone out of my pocket and looked at it. Still nothing. I rested my head back before I decided to call.

Zero’s POV

The four beers on the coffee table had done nothing to calm me down. I was still freaking out, and the person I would normally call was the same person who made me feel like this in the first place. I closed my eyes and rested my head. I knew it was a coward move leaving him there at the beach to clean up my mess. I shouldn’t have run. I should have called him. My phone rang and stopped any further thoughts in my head. I quickly got up from the couch to look for it. It was probably Jude; maybe I had read him all wrong? Maybe he didn’t want me to meet her? Maybe I was just overreacting?  
“Damn it!” I hissed while I frantically looked for it. I could not let this go to voicemail.  
The phone dropped on the floor when I lifted my clothes from earlier, and I quickly took it before it was too late.  
“Jude I am sorry. I know I shouldn’t have run off like that. It was just.... I couldn’t think straight, and suddenly all those vultures were coming at me and…” I almost rambled the words out, too afraid that I wouldn’t be able to say it out loud if I thought too much about it.  
“Zero?” I stopped mid-sentence and stood up straight. This wasn’t Jude. I looked at the caller ID.  
For the love of all that is holy! I punched the air furious with myself not for looking before answering the stupid phone and then of all damn bloody people. I collected myself and put the phone to my ear again.  
“Lucas”  
He didn’t say anything.  
“What do you want?” I snapped  
“I… um… Well, I…”  
“I need full sentences here Lucas” I was beyond pissed, and if he dared to comment on anything of what I just said or anything with Jude and me he would be gone, and I wouldn’t even look back. I don’t care that he has the reputation of the best agent in LA. He would be out. I kept silent, but Lucas pulled himself together.  
“We have got approval from OUT, and they would love to get an interview with you”  
I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. This damn thing again. I had been so excited about it earlier at Jude’s place when I thought I could still take some control that I could spin this my way. But if today was any indication at all it only showed that it was never going to happen.  
“They have already sent me the question they’ll ask”  
“Hmm” was my only answer  
“If you want I can come by your place with them or send them to you?”  
There was no way I would let that weasel in my house.  
“Just send them to me and I will look them over and call you back later tonight”  
“Ok, I will send them right away”  
As soon as a hung up I tossed my phone across the room in frustration and soon after I heard the familiar sound indicating that I had received the email. I sighed. 

Jude’s POV

My hands were sweaty again as soon as the phone started ringing and I was trying to calm myself down with deep breathing and another scotch. I knew this was the only way to calm myself down at this point, so I had decided to bring the entire bottle with me, which was now standing on the coffee table in front of me while the drink was in my hand.  
“Jude”  
Her fragile voice hadn’t changed one bit.  
“Hi mom”  
“Are you okay? I have been trying to get through to you as soon as I heard”  
“Yes mom, I am.” Maybe I wasn’t ok at this exact moment but had I picked up the phone when she called the first time that would have been my answer. Or maybe I would have sounded a bit more excited.  
“I am great mom” I tried with a happy voice but not sure that I pulled it off and I could already feel a lump forming in my throat.  
“I know we haven’t talked for a while Jude, but I hope that this isn’t because you were afraid of my reaction to you loving a guy”  
“No mom… I…” *Pull yourself together Jude* I thought to myself feeling my emotions were getting the best of me.  
“I love you, Jude” Well that didn’t help me keep my emotions in check. I lay my head back, now fighting back the tears in my eyes.  
“I love you too, mom” My voice was heavy with emotions  
We were both silent over the phone.  
“So how long have you been with the guy?”  
“Um…” I cleared my throat  
“Well, we were together for some months before I broke it off because I wanted more than he did or at least that’s what I thought”  
“Well he must be very into you if he was willing to kiss you in public like that”  
“Yes, well he didn’t think about it” My voice suddenly sounded bitter, and my mom immediately picked up on it.  
“Do you love him?”  
*Yes, too much* I thought to myself while only giving a simple yes as an answer to her.  
“Does he love you?”  
I couldn’t help the small smile that crept on my lips when I remembered the night in front of the Arena where he told me the first time. Even though it all ended horribly that night for a matter of two seconds I had been so happy, almost relieved, to hear those words from him. Words and emotions I thought he would never say or express and probably never had to anyone else he had ever been with.  
“Yes. Yes, he does” I said and closed my eyes, head still resting on the couch.  
“I am very happy for you Jude, finding someone who loves you and who can express it…”  
I involuntarily snorted at that. Sure he had said he loved me, but he was still as emotionally closed off as a person could be.  
“What? What did I say?”  
“Nothing mom it is just something I thought about”  
Silence. I knew she didn’t buy it.  
“Are you happy?”  
How could I possible answer that truthfully? I had been overrun by reporters all day, my boyfriend… Was he even that? Had run away, sure I told him too, but I wanted him to have said no. I wanted him to have stayed and answered at least one of their questions. I wanted him to be with me here tonight, but instead, I was sitting looking at a bottle of scotch as my only companion. We were supposed to be standing together through this. Instead I felt left by myself and alone.  
“I am feeling pretty drained for energy” I answered hoping she would leave it alone.  
“I won’t intrude, but if you need me I would be more than happy to come and visit”  
I think she took my lack of response as an answer because she quickly followed up  
“Or you are welcome to come here?”  
“I would like to come visit, mom, but there is just too much going on now, with Oscar still in jail and Lionel has her hands full, and I really want to do well as her EVP and that’s only some of it”  
“I can understand that Jude and I hope Lionel isn’t too much. She seems like a pretty tough person in the photos and interviews I have seen”  
“She is really nice mom; she just comes of like that” I smiled at my mom's concern. My friendship with Lionel was one of the only anchors I had here in LA and within the Devils.  
“Ok, my love. As long as you take care of yourself”  
“I am mom”  
“Ok, I will leave you then so you can get some sleep”  
“Thanks, mom” I said before she hung up.  
I took another drink and looked at his shirt that was once again hanging on my wall. I smiled at the memory. I was standing in the kitchen getting us some food and something to drink in the middle of the night after he had kissed me at the game.  
****************  
“What exactly happened here?” he asked with an accusing voice  
“What are you talking about?” I asked trying to balance all the food and drinks in my arms.  
He looked at me but didn’t move.  
“Hey, do you mind? I could use a little help here” I said  
“Screw that Jude! Where’s my shirt?” he was now standing pointing at the wall and looking with an accusing look at me  
“Oh, that…” I said and placed all the stuff back on the kitchen counter.  
“Yes, Jude! That!”  
I couldn’t help the smile on my lips; somehow his huffed mood also seemed a little innocent. I shrugged my shoulders.  
“I took it down”  
“Well where is it now?” his hands were placed at his sides.  
“It’s in that closet there” I said and pointed to the door close to my desk. He almost stormed towards the door and pulled out the frame.  
“I need a nail and a hammer,” He said while moving the frame to where it was once hanging  
“It’s 2.35! I have neighbors!”  
He looked at me with a smirk  
“Oh Jude I don’t think any of your neighbors has been getting any sleep” he winked, and I could feel my cheek blush slightly.  
“It’s in the same closet,” I said in defeat  
“Do you even know how to do this?” I asked a bit curious  
“Jude come on! Give me some credit I basically had to take care of myself the most of my life” He said this as if it was a common known fact about him. I had wanted to ask him more about it, but I didn’t want him to close off, so I just let him work on getting the frame up again.  
It took him less than two minutes to get the nail in the wall, but it probably took another five minutes for him to hang the frame just right.  
“Perfect!” He said after taking a step back to admire his work.  
“Happy now?” I asked and walked over to wrap my arms around him and kiss his neck and shoulders.  
“Very” he said and held my arms tight to him and leaned into my kisses. We didn’t make it back to the bedroom at that point.  
*************************  
I sighed and took another sip. That all seemed like ages ago, but it wasn’t. How could things change so fast? I had been selfish I knew that, and I knew that all that was happening now was my fault I hadn’t thought it through. I just wanted something normal, and I wanted him. But what did that even mean? Fine so now we could go out together, but would that make him my boyfriend? He had avoided that question earlier. Did that mean that he was seeing other people? Were we even exclusive? What if he hadn’t changed his mind about relationships? When he was with Jelena he was far from exclusive. I never said that I wanted us to be exclusive, but the thought of him being with anyone else… I poured another drink.

Zero’s POV

I had been tossing and turning for hours now. I rolled over to look at the clock. 1.53. This was ridiculous there was no way I was going to get any sleep like this. I took a T-shirt and some sweatpants on and put on some shoes before I grabbed my keys and went out the door. The night was cold, and maybe that’s why there were no reporters outside my building, so no one noticed when I drove out of the garage.  
I locked myself in and was immediately hit with a strong smell of liquor. I saw the almost empty bottle on the coffee table and hoped he hadn’t been drinking all of that otherwise he would have a monstrous headache tomorrow.  
I stopped at the bedroom door and looked at him. He was laying on his right side on the right side of the bed and looked completely passed out and based on the smell in here he would definitely have that headache tomorrow. I tossed the shoes, pants and T-shirt on the floor and slid under the covers and put my left arm around him intertwining our fingers. He squeezed his hand once, but I wasn’t sure if he was awake or not. I moved up as close to his warm body as possible and within seconds, I was out.  
I woke at 7 am the exact same way that I had fallen asleep with my arm still firmly around him. I got up and took some pants and a T-shirt from his closet and went to the bathroom to take a shower. When I got out Jude was still in deep sleep, and he probably wouldn’t wake up before I was leaving, so I left him a note, removed the scotch from the coffee table, opened the windows to get some fresh air, took some breakfast and put over some coffee for him. He was going to need it if he wasn’t too hungover to be able to drink it. I closed the windows right before I left. I needed to talk to him later; there was no way I couldn’t talk to him about yesterday. I still felt awful about it, but it would have to wait, I had the interview with OUT this morning, and their photo shoot and then Lucas had convinced me to throw a party at the Devils Playground to celebrate my new status as he called it.  
I turned on the radio in the car and tried to relax on the way to the OUT’s office.

Jude’s POV

The ringing of my phone woke me and without much thought and still half asleep I took it from the nightstand  
“Hello” my voice was hoarse, and it felt like I hadn’t gotten any water in days. The light in the room also seemed awfully bright. I squeezed my eyes a bit more trying to keep it out of my eyes.  
“Jude! ” Lionel’s yell in my ear immediately triggered a massive headache. I knew I should have stopped after the third glass.  
“You get to the office this instances!”  
“What? Why? What is going on Lionel?” I moved my hand to the left trying to help myself up in a sitting position where I felt a piece of paper. *I have bought a pair of your jeans and a T-shirt.* I turned the note, but that was all it said. I sighed. Some part of me was happy that he had been here last night; the other part of me wished that the note, at least, had said *have a good day*.  
“Jude are you listening to me?!” Only then did I realize that I had completely zoomed out of the conversation with Lionel as soon as I saw the note. I would have to talk to him.  
“I am sorry Lionel, I...”  
“Jelena and Terrence have bought the Arena!” She yelled and stopped me mid-sentence.  
“What?!” I sat up so quickly that I immediately felt my head starting to spin, and I suddenly felt like I was going to be sick.  
“I will be right there!” I answered, right before I hung up and ran to the bathroom.

Zero’s POV

I had done enough of these interviews to know the drill, and I hadn’t been nervous in the last few years when I was sitting on the other side of the table. But for some reason, this particular interview made me feel just as twitchy and nervous as if it was my first interview ever even though I knew all the questions beforehand.  
“First of all, I would like to thank you for choosing our magazine for your first article; I know you probably had a lot of bidders” The guy who introduced himself as William was dressed as if he had walked right out of a fashion magazine. He had short brown hair, glasses and one of those hipster beards. He was wearing a dark blue suit with vest and a slim tie it all looked tailored.  
I shifted in my seat. In the past, I would have tried to hook up with this guy only to forget everything about him afterwards.  
I made my famous grin and small laugh and looked at my intertwined hands before I focused on him again.  
“Jude had your magazine at his place”  
“Ahh… Jude, the lucky man” He said and smiled a little too flirtatious.  
I said nothing but kept a smile on my lips.  
“He is a very handsome man” William continued  
“Maybe we should begin with the questions” I said and gestured for him to begin there was no way I was going to discuss Jude’s looks with him.  
“Absolutely,” he said, still smiling, and looked at his papers  
I had already memorized my answers, and I just needed to get this over with so I could do the photo shoot and then get to the Arena and Jude.  
He asked me some questions related to basketball and how it felt being the winner of two rings, we talked about my bisexuality how it was never something I had been trying to hide and that I had been with men before the public kiss. I think the last part shocked him and maybe that’s why he suddenly asked outside the papers.  
“What made you show it publically now, then?” William asked  
The question caught me off guard since it was not one of the planned once. I tilted my head slightly and looked at him, but he only mirrored my movement.  
Oh, I would definitely have done him in the past, *Game on William* I thought because there was no way I was going to back down now.  
“Are you seeing someone?” I asked perhaps a bit too flirtatious while leaning towards him.  
He swallowed and shifted in his seat. It felt good knowing I could still do that to people.  
“Um” he cleared his voice before he collected himself  
“Yes I am”  
“How many people know the guy you are kissing?” My question shocked him a bit at first, possible because I had just shown him that I was perfectly aware of the fact that he was gay, but he quickly pulled a crooked smile.  
“My friends, family…”  
“Does your bosses know?” I asked  
“No”  
“Are you planning on telling them?”  
“No,” he said like I was going crazy  
“You don’t want people to know?” His cheek flushed  
“I don’t mind that people knowing” he answered quickly and then I saw it in his eyes. Right, then he realized that I was cornering him and was getting ready to throw his own question right back in his face.  
My smile grew a little bigger while I kept looking at the now very uncomfortable man with flushed cheeks sitting across from me  
“Maybe we should go back to the questions” he said and pulled the papers closer to him.  
“I think that will be a good idea”  
The next ten minutes he kept it strictly to the questions given to him and when it was all over I shook his hand and walked away.  
The photo shoot was as easy as it could be. Basically, they just wanted me to show as much skin as possible.  
It was 10.30 am when I left and headed towards the Arena.

Jude’s POV

I ran into the Arena as soon as I could, the sunglasses still over my eyes and the biggest cup of coffee in my hand. I was beyond grateful that it was there this morning.  
“Jude” I looked to see Lucas  
I didn’t stop. I had no time for this.  
“Sorry Lucas I can’t talk right now” I said and walked right by him and left him standing  
“Rough night?” He yelled a little after me, but I ignored him.  
I went straight to Lionel’s office.  
“Lionel, what the hell?!”  
“Amin sold them the Arena, and we have already sold Oscar’s ridiculous building project so I could get enough money for Derek”  
“Can we overrule the buy?”  
“I don’t see how?” She answered and threw her arms in the air and got up from her chair.  
“What about Amin trying to get you to sign the papers right before he sold out”  
“I don’t know Jude…”  
“Well, there has to be something we can do!?”  
“Yes, we just need to find it” She said voice furious  
“Because there is no way I will let Jelena and Terrence be the boss of this place”  
“Come Jude we are going to handle this” She grabbed her bag and stormed out the door while I was following close behind her.  
As soon as we got into the elevator she walked a little closer to me and gave me her scrutinizing look. Then she moved a bit back with a crooked smile.  
“Well I guess someone had a fun night yesterday”  
“What do you mean?”  
“No bath or clean clothes could get rid of that alcohol smell that quickly”  
She looked at me, and I looked down a bit embarrassed.  
“Plus you look like shit”  
“I hope your new found relationship and all the fun you guys are having aren’t interfering with your work” Her tone was a bit more serious now  
“No! no, no it’s nothing like that” I quickly said shaking my head and regretting it as soon as I had done it, I still had a splitting headache.  
“I was by myself last night and just had a drink too much” her expression changed to something I couldn’t read  
“Jude you more likely had a bottle too much”  
I made a small smile; she wasn’t wrong.  
“I thought you left the event together?” she asked  
I didn’t answer.  
“I mean I saw on the news how he came to the event and how you both ran away from the reporters”  
She wasn’t going to let this go. I sighed and straightened up and looked at her.  
“Well they caught up with us later, and we got separated, and then I just went home”  
She looked at me with a look I felt was penetrating my soul. I shifted my weight slightly somehow trying to get away from her stare when my phone rang. *Saved by the bell* I thought and quickly answered it.  
It was from the prison. This was going to be the worst day possible.

Zero’s POV

As soon as I was at the Arena I went straight to Jude’s office. His secretary just informed me that he was together with Lionel, so I went to her office, but her secretary told me they had left more than an hour ago.  
I left in defeat and decided to burn off some steam instead and headed for the gym.  
Lucas was there talking to Derek, but I ignored them and went straight for the weights. It had taken less than 30 seconds before Lucas was standing in front of me and based on Derek’s face Lucas had cut it short with Derek so he could talk to me instead. I smiled. It felt good to be the one with all the attention right now. I started working out while Lucas was standing in front of me.  
“Zero I just wanted to tell you that the Playground is booked and that the girls have already been booked for the dance, and I have compiled a guest list that you can look over to see if there are someone else you want there or someone you don’t want there”  
“Are there any reporters invited?”  
“No, I have invited some of the people from OUT, though”  
“That should be fine”  
He didn’t say anything but just stood looking at me  
“Anything else, Lucas?” I asked a bit irritated  
“No that’s all” He said with a plastered smile on his face  
“I will send you the list so you can look it over”  
“Good”  
After he had left I turned up the volume in my headphones and locked everything else out for the next two hours.  
After the workout, I went straight to his office again, even though I knew I probably needed to take a shower first, but I needed to speak with him more.  
His office door was still closed, but his secretary was not there, so I knocked on the door, and when I didn’t hear an answer I tried to open the door, but it was locked.  
“He had to take off” The secretary’s voice was right behind me and it startled me a bit  
“Whereto?” I asked slightly irritated. Was he avoiding me?  
“He went to the prison” she said matter of fact in a voice that sounded almost bored  
“What?!” I hadn’t realized I had raised my voice until I saw a frightened expression across her face. I took a breath  
“When did he leave?” I asked in a more calm tone  
“About thirty minutes ago. Now if you don’t mind, I have work to do”  
I was in shock. Why on earth would he visit Oscar again?  
“Sure” I said and pulled my phone out of my pocket  
*Screw this face-to-face thing* I thought and dialed his number. No answer.  
They had probably taken his phone, which meant I would just have to wait. I fucking hate waiting and right now it felt like it was the only damn thing I had been doing today.

Jude’s POV

I was sitting in my car outside the prison getting ready to leave. Talking to Oscar was always draining but with this headache sent from hell, it had practically sucked all energy out of me. And now he wanted me to help him get out of there. Not in an illegal way but helping him prove that he was innocent of Olivia’s murder. What was I going to do? Would I be willing to get myself dragged down into his mess again? I already had so much going on already. But he was my father. I couldn’t just do nothing, could I? I rested my head back and put my hands over my eyes. All these questions did not help on my heavy hangover and if that wasn’t enough Lionel and I had been in meetings all day but was getting nowhere with getting rid of Jelena and Terrence. I turned my phone on. No matter how much I just wanted to go home and shut down everything it wasn’t possible right now. I needed to get back to reality, and that meant, for now, at least, to think of anything else than Oscar. I needed to figure this out with Lionel and then head home to think and to sleep this headache out.  
I had a bunch of emails, but the one that caught my eye was an invitation to a party. The subject line read “Come and celebrate tonight at Playground” I scoffed and deleted the email without another glance at it. There was no way I was going to a party tonight. I continue to look trough some other emails from Lionel and our lawyers when I saw the *one missed call, Zero*. I sighed and tossed my phone on the passenger seat before I started the car. Time to get back and face the music.

Zero’s POV

Still no reply from Jude, not even a text. I had been walking like a lion in a cage outside the arena when Pete saw me.  
“Zero, I need to talk to you” He said and walked towards me like he was a man with a purpose  
“What’s up coach?”  
“I need to discuss some of the upcoming games with you and give you the new playbook. Do you have time now?”  
I looked down at my phone. Still nothing and it had been an hour and a half since he left the office. He would be out by now; there was no way he could stay and visit for that long. Which only meant he had seen the missed call and done nothing. I guess I was going to do this face-to-face.  
“Sure” I said and followed Pete.  
The meeting with Pete was short. Derek was still captain and besides some new strategies, which were collected in the new playbook everything else pretty much stayed the same. I got up to leave.  
“Oh another thing Zero”  
I turned to look at him  
“Just before I forget, you know” he suddenly acted a little nervous, and I tilted my head to look at him questionably.  
“Have you… Are you…” I could see he was uncomfortable with what he was going to ask so I could guess what was the topic of the conversation and I was beginning to wonder whether or not this was perhaps more the reason I was in his office. I looked down at the playbook and chuckle to myself.  
“If you don’t mind Pete, I am in quite of a hurry so whatever it is just ask me”  
He smiled at that and shook his head slightly and chuckled a bit  
“You haven’t changed one bit”  
I just shrugged my shoulders, and he kept a smile on his face  
“I just wanted to make sure that no one is harassing you in the locker room. I know I would probably be the last one to know, but I hope you will tell me if anything goes on”  
I gave him my winning smirk and walked a few steps towards him.  
“Coach I am a big boy, I can take care of myself”  
“I know. I know” His voice more serious now  
“I have never been in hiding about my sexuality” I answered still with a smirk and open arms.  
“No… But you haven’t openly admitted anything before now either. People might have been suspicious before but now they now for sure”  
I just looked at him  
“Everyone knows and that can change things and people”  
“Coach seriously I am fine, don’t worry about it” I said and smiled a little wider  
He opened his mouth to continue, but we were cut short by Lionel, who stormed into the room.  
“Did you know?!”  
“Hello Lionel” Pete said his entire body language changed  
“Well did you?!” Lionel was beyond furious, and when she shot me a look, I decided this would probably be a good time for me to leave.  
I headed straight for Jude’s office, and as soon as his secretary saw me coming she just said  
“He is still not here” while keeping her focus on the screen in front of her  
“I don’t care” I said standing in front of her  
“I am going to wait in his office”  
“It’s locked” she said and swallowed I knew I was frightening her, but I was done running around the bush. I would stay here until he finally got here.  
“Well then you better open it for me”  
“I can’t. You are n”  
I didn’t even have time to hear the rest of the explanation she was about to give me.  
“You are aware that I kissed him in front of thousands of people and that I only want to wait for him. I am not interested in anything else in his office”  
I moved closer to her and was now standing halfway over her desk. She swallowed again with a panicked look written all over her face.  
“Well maybe he locked in from the inside” she said, and this possibility threw me off my game for a moment.  
“Why would he do something like that?”  
“Maybe he is having a private meeting” I was starting to see red. Why would Jude even do that? Didn’t he trust me? Was that it?  
“You either open that door now or I will break through it” I said furiously with jaw clenched and fisted hands. She swallowed.  
“If I open the door for you, you have to keep it opened, and I have to be able to see you at all times” she said, and I saw her body shake a bit.  
“Fine.” I said irritated but tried calming myself down  
She didn’t move but instead looked me up and down.  
“Just open the damn door!” I was losing my temper again.  
She opened the door, and I went straight in, feeling myself calm a bit when I was there. The room smelled of Jude’s cologne.  
“You can’t sit in his chair either” She said still standing in the doorway with the door completely open  
“Got it” I said and strained a smile.  
I placed my playbook on the meeting table in the room and walked over to the windows.  
“I can’t see you” I heard her little voice yell.  
She was getting on my nerves, but there was still no way I was leaving this office, so instead I took one of his chairs and placed it in the middle of the room and turned it towards her. I sat down and looked directly at her. Clearly making her uncomfortable. It took no longer than five minutes before she spoke.  
“Fine you can walk around, just don’t touch anything” she said and focused back on the screen  
I got up and put the chair back and started pacing the floor.  
Nerves were soon creeping in. Now that I was here I had no idea what to say. I looked out the window again; I knew it was my fault. I knew I was the only one to blame for how I was feeling. But damn it! Everything was moving so fast with him, he just wanted more and more, and I wasn’t sure I could give him all that he wanted. What if I couldn’t? Would he then leave me? William and Lucas were both right Jude was very handsome and even if he wasn't aware of it others would see it too and what if he found someone better? Someone who didn’t run away when everything got too personal? 

Jude’s POV

When I parked my car, I saw Jelena walking outside the Arena. I know I shouldn’t talk to her but damn it was tempting. However, on my way towards the entrance to the Arena, I saw a car stop next to her and a pregnant woman got out and it stopped me in my tracks. Jelena looked shocked and furious. Whatever the woman had said to her clearly wasn’t good news.  
A bunch of voices and noises got me out of my thought, and I looked to see a swarm of reporters standing outside one of the doors to the Arena. *Better get inside while I still can* I thought and quickly entered the Arena through another door, before they could notice me.  
I went straight to Lionel’s office again, but since she was not there, I decided just to leave a message for her and head for my own office so I could get some work done.  
I pulled out my phone I knew I had to call him back.  
“Hey Hannah” I greeted my secretary while I was looking at my phone  
“Mr. Kinkade” I heard her say but before she could say anything more I was in my office and had the familiar warm body crashing against mine with a force so strong I would probably have fallen over if it wasn’t for the fact that he was holding me close to him.

Zero’s POV

As soon as I heard his voice I lost all thought and before I could think of it, my lips were on his. I hold him tight to me while I poured all my emotions into the kiss. He didn’t respond, and I could feel a desperation creeping in since he didn’t kiss back, but more stood still as if in shock. It reminded me of the time I kissed him in his apartment, but I couldn’t have him pull away from me this time. Not now. So I let one of my hands travel up to his hair while I deepened the kiss, and he finally relaxed. I heard his bag and phone fall to the ground, and his hands were holding me a second later while he was starting kissing me back with the same desperation. I could feel my body relax as soon as he responded and pressed our bodies even closer to each other.  
When I finally broke the kiss to put my forehead against his, we were both panting. He opened his eyes slowly and for what felt like hours we just stood in silence looking into each others eyes.  
I was the first to break the silence  
“I shouldn’t have left you with them.” I closed my eyes and continued  
“I shouldn’t have run out on you”  
“No” he answered in an almost whisper. I opened my eyes again to look at him  
“But I know why you did it” he continued while he focused his eyes on my mouth. I took a deep breath but didn’t say anything.  
“I am not saying that you have to meet my mother. This” He pulled a little away and motioned his hands between us  
“is still so new. No matter who the guy was I wouldn’t just show him off to my mom after a kiss and a few days”  
Damn, that burned me. Some guy? I scoffed  
“Jude… I am not some guy, and you have known me far longer than that” I was hurt, he was clearly frustrated with me but not because of the way I handle the situation with his mom, it was something else. He was acting strangely.  
He grabbed his things from the floor and went to close the door to his office  
“Whatever. The point is you don’t have to worry I am not going to bring you to visit my mother” He said dryly and headed towards his table. I couldn’t help but feel hurt by his lack of interest in me. One minute we were kissing the next, he acted like I was just some random guy. I knew I should be thrilled to dodge the bullet here, but something just felt wrong. He was acting so strange, and I knew that he was hiding something from me.  
“Are you?” I asked. Afraid of the answer was he already planning to leave me? Was this it?  
“No, not right now. With everything going on here I don’t have time to visit her”  
I was relieved when he specified that he only thought I referred to his mother and not us.  
“What is it to you?” He asked a bit irritated  
“I don’t know Jude, but you are in a so tight up cranky mood right now I have no idea what to say or do”  
He looked at me with his eyes that said *don’t start that shit*. But I didn’t care I shrugged my shoulders and knew that would trigger him.  
“I don’t know what you want from me! So I didn’t tell you I was still talking to my mother but honestly, why should I? You never tell me about your parents or family or basically anything that happened to you before we met in Ohio”  
I took a few steps back I was out of words. I didn’t know what to tell him. All that was something I locked away a long time ago. Some of it I even promised myself I would never look back at no matter what. Panic was creeping in. I heard him take a deep breath, and I looked up at him.  
“I have a lot of things that needs to get done and a vicious headache”  
“Well maybe you shouldn’t have been getting so drunk last night” I spat out without thinking  
“Well, you weren’t there!” He shouted at me while getting up so he was now standing at his desk.  
“What is that suppose to mean?” I asked in a raised voice  
“I.. I … forget about it” He sat down again  
“Jude I know I screwed up” I still had a raised voice, but he cut me off  
“Forget it”  
“Why are you like this? Is it because of Oscar?”  
“How do you know?”  
“Your secretary told me you were at the prison, so I just assumed…”  
He didn’t say anything.  
“He wants me to help him get out. To prove that he didn’t kill Olivia” chills were running down my spine when he said it.  
“Jude don’t”  
“He is my father”  
“I know, but don’t get sucked into his scheming and evil plans again”  
He made a small chuckle like what I had said would somehow be funny and looked up at me with a small smile but it wasn’t whole-hearted.  
I walked around the table and sat on the edge of it, so I was sitting facing him.  
“Please listen to me, Jude. Whatever he wants you to do... It is not worth it. The sooner you let him go, the happier you will be. I can promise you that.”  
“How?”  
“Because I know” I shrugged my shoulders, when he didn’t say anything and kept avoiding looking at me I continued.  
“I had to do the same many years ago”  
I took his hand in mine and felt his eyes on me  
“But what if getting him out can help me?”  
I looked up at him  
“What do you mean?”  
“Jelena and Terrence have bought the Arena. They are landlords now”  
“What?” Shock visible all over my face  
“I know it is a mess” He got up and walked to the window. My eyes followed him.  
“But what if getting him out could help against Jelena and Terrence”  
“Jude you need to be careful. Oscar isn’t someone you can just play around with he will turn on you if it is in his best interest or if it benefits him”  
“I know” he said and looked blankly out in the room. I could see all the wheels turning in his head trying to come up with some plan.  
“I need to speak to Lionel” he suddenly said with a spark of hope in his eyes and quickly headed for the door  
“Um… Jude?”  
“Sorry yes?” He said and turned around  
Somehow this conversation didn’t feel over, but nothing more would come of it now.  
I went over to him and placed my hands on either side of his face before I kissed him.  
“I wish we didn’t have that party tonight” I said. I rather wanted to go back to Jude’s place and stay there till morning.  
“Tonight?” He asked  
“Yes…” I answered a bit hesitantly  
“What party?”  
“Didn’t Lucas send you the invitation?” I was going to kill him if he had forgotten to send it to Jude  
“I am having a party at the Playground tonight”  
“Oh” he said  
I started rambling  
“It was Lucas’ idea he thought it would be a good way to turn this into an event now that the magazine interview is over and everything and I thought you…”  
He stopped my rambling and smiled  
“I will without a doubt be there”  
“I can pick you up at your place?” I offered  
“Sounds perfect” he said and gave me a chaste kiss.  
“I have to go, but I will see you tonight” he said while he was walking away  
I smiled to myself and pulled him back to me one final time to give him a quick kiss. He stroked his thumb over my cheek and made a small smile.  
“I will see you later” he said and walked out  
I looked at his secretary who was far too focused on the screen. She was probably a bit uncomfortable with all of this, but I didn’t care. Nothing could ruin the smile on my face. I closed his door behind me and walked away myself.

Jude’s POV

I walked straight into Lionel’s office.  
“What if there is a way to put Oscar on Jelena and Terrence?” Lionel looked away from the computer.  
“Jude if this has something to do with what he said to you in there…”  
“He wants me to prove he did not kill Olivia”  
“Jude! Don’t use your time with him and besides he most likely did kill Olivia”  
“Lionel he is my father”  
“I know Jude, but Oscar is despicable and cannot be trusted! I am trying to keep him as far away from this organization so the Devils seem stronger, how would it look if I suddenly got him back here working with the Devils?”  
“He wouldn’t be working, we will still keep him away from the organization. But maybe we can…”  
“Jude” she held up a hand  
“I am trying to get him convicted and found guilty on all the charges against him, why on earth would I do anything to get him out?”  
“I think Jelena fears Oscar. Why else would she not have blown him out of the water herself? It would have benefitted her far more than letting you do it.”  
Lionel was quiet  
“But she didn’t. She brought it to you and I think if someone could rock this to our way it would be Oscar.”  
“I am not sure about this Jude” I could see she saw the possibilities in the plan  
“Just let me look into it a bit more and if I find something we can talk about it again”  
She looked at me for a while until she finally nodded  
“Ok. But don’t do anything before discussing it with me” She pointed a finger at me and I smiled  
“Yes boss”  
She cracked a smile at that and I left quickly going back to the office to get some work done.

Zero’s POV

After leaving Jude’s office, I had spent the rest of the day with Lucas and the new girl in charge of the Playground discussing everything for tonight.  
Jude was running late at work and texted me if I could pick him up at 8 pm. I didn’t want to tell him that the party already started at 7 pm, so instead I just agreed and ordered some food to when I got home. I wondered if he had even looked at the invitation or if he just didn’t want to go? I quickly discarded any further thoughts about it. Tonight was about celebrating. There were no reporters, and we could relax and be together at the party now that everyone knew. I went to find an outfit and after about an hour and possible 50 different outfits, I finally decided on a black suit with a white shirt. When it was 7.30 pm, I drove to Jude’s place.

Jude’s POV

Time was flying by, and before I knew it, I needed to head home and change before the party.  
He was going to pick me up at 8 pm, and I had to change and get something to eat before that. I decided on a simple suite and hoped that there wasn’t any dress code at this party because I hadn’t had time to find the deleted email again.  
As soon as I got in the car his lips were on mine in one of his passionate kiss.  
I pulled a little back  
“My suit” I said and feigned vanity  
“I don’t care” he said with a smirk  
I went in to kiss him again. This time, it was him who pulled away. He rested his forehead on mine with his eyes still closed  
“I missed you”  
I smiled and moved my thumb on his cheek, and he leaned his head against my hand and opened his eyes  
“How was your day?” he asked quietly  
“Busy” I said and let out a nervous laugh. There was still so much to do and look at.  
“But let us forget everything about work tonight and instead go to your party and celebrate”  
For that he gave me a full-blown smile. The one smile I felt was only for me. The one that somehow gave a small glimpse of something real from him. When he was truly happy and relaxed and not hiding behind some mask.  
“We don’t’ want to be late” I continued  
“Oh, the party doesn’t start before I am there” I couldn’t help but laugh at his cocky and relaxed attitude.  
He started the car, and as soon as we were on the road he took my hand and intertwined our fingers.

Zero’s POV

The playground was packed with people and to be honest, I didn’t even know half of them. Sure I had looked at the guest list, but more to see if there was some lost family member or someone from my past on the list, but since there was none of that I had just said ok to Lucas so he could send out the invitations.  
I looked at Jude, who was all smile.  
“I will get us some drinks,” I said and placed a quick kiss on his lips before heading to the bar.  
“Zero I am glad you came”  
I turned to see Lucas and rolled my eyes  
“Why on earth wouldn’t I come to my own party?”  
“Well considering the party started an hour ago I thought that maybe”  
I shot him a look that probably told him to shut up because he didn’t care to finish the sentence.  
“Well I am here now, but if you would excuse me” I said and took our drinks and walked over to Jude  
“I got you a beer considering what you were drinking yesterday I didn’t think the scotch would sit well with you right now“ I said to him in a teasing tone  
He let out a laugh  
“Thank you” he said and took a sip of it  
The club went dark, and the music got louder, and the girls were now standing on the stage ready for their dance. Jelena front center of the dance. I wouldn’t have expected anything else, considering she probably choreographed it. The dance provided the perfect setting for the evening with half the girls wearing dresses and the other half wearing suits. After the dance had ended, Lionel held a speech basically telling everyone how the organization was supporting Jude and me.  
“I will be right back,” Jude said as soon as Lionel was done and headed her way. She was all smile as soon as she saw him. I couldn’t help smile myself. The only time I could ever remember to see a smile on Lionel’s face was when Jude was around.  
Soon people came to shake hands, make small talk and to congratulate me on my decision and bold move. Some men and woman were perhaps a bit too flirty, but I went with it and enjoyed the attention. After a while, a voice cut through.  
“Well if it isn’t the man of the hour” I turned my head around  
“William” I said and excused myself from the two girls I was having a conversation with. I turned towards him and shook his hand  
“Did you bring a date?” I asked a bit curious to see his guy.  
He made a small chuckle  
“No, I didn’t this is work”  
“Ahh,” I said smirking  
“Keeping the work and private life separate?”  
“Something like that” he said picking up on my reference to my interview  
“Well the bar is over there if you want something but I am afraid you just missed the show from the Devil Girls” I said  
“No problem and thank you” He said and moved towards the bar  
When I turned around to look for Jude Lionel was standing right in front of me.  
“Lionel” I said and smiled a bit surprised  
She didn’t say anything but just pulled her lips in a stiff smile that only last for about two seconds. I swallowed  
“Have you seen Jude?” she asked  
“The last time I saw him he was walking towards you”  
“That was” she looked at her watch  
“almost an hour ago”  
“What?” I asked in disbelief and looked at my own watch. How could time have run by so quickly? I quickly scanned the room and saw him standing at the bar talking to some blond haired guy who was standing with his back to me.  
“Oh, he is standing at the bar” I told her a bit relieved but she didn’t care to turn around, and I somehow knew that she already knew where he was.  
I looked at him again. He seemed happy and was laughing at something the guy said. A shot of jealousy hit me when I saw the guy move a little closer to Jude, who didn’t even seem to notice and who did nothing to move away from him. Had he been talking to that guy the entire time? Lionel pulled me back to the conversation I was having with her.  
“This is some party”  
“Thanks” I answered with a grin on my face  
“I don’t do anything halfway” I continued while my eyes involuntarily went back to where Jude was standing. I clenched my jaw. Lionel followed my eyes then and saw me looking at him, and I could feel she turned to look back at me.  
“Why did you do it?”  
“What?” I asked and looked at her.  
“I do think you love him; I saw that in Jude’s apartment. But then I see Jude here today and at this party and I am just wondering if you may are more focused on you than both of you”  
She looked me up and down with a look that made me think she was disgusted with me. I shifted the weight of my body, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. I didn’t know what to say, so she continued  
“Let me put it differently” Lionel said and walked closer to me, making sure I wouldn’t miss a single word of what she was going to say  
“If you hurt him… I will drive my car so far up your ass you will taste wiper fluid”  
I was speechless. I knew they had a close bond and that their friendship had grown, but seeing Lionel being this protective was not something I expected.  
“Thank you for the party” She said in an ice-cold voice and turned around and left  
I think I was still in shock when I looked towards Jude again. He was still standing at the bar but was now talking to some dark haired guy. I noticed Jude didn’t look as happy as earlier, but he rather looked tense and almost angry with whatever the guy was saying.  
It was then Jude decided to look straight at me, and if I didn’t know any better, I would say that he had inherited his ice-cold stare from Lionel. The guy in front of Jude turned to order a drink, and it was then I saw who Jude had been talking to.


End file.
